A battery pack has a battery module therein. A problem with the battery pack is that the battery module has a centrally located region that can have an elevated temperature level as compared to a temperature level of peripheral regions of the battery module, which can degrade operation of the battery module over time.
The inventors herein have recognized a need for a battery pack having a cooling plate with targeted cooling that can cool a centrally located region of the battery module to a greater extent than peripheral regions of the battery module to obtain a relatively uniform operating temperature within the battery module. In particular, the inventors herein have recognized a need for a battery pack having a cooling plate with first and second flow channels therein with first and second cross-sectional areas, respectively, in which the second cross-sectional area is less than the first cross-sectional area and in which a coolant traveling through the second flow channel has an increased velocity (as compared to the velocity in the first flow channel) to cool a centrally located region of the battery module disposed on the cooling plate and directly above the second flow channel to a greater extent than a peripheral region of the battery module disposed directly above the first flow channel.